Improvement in friction-locomotives



T. s. MINNISS.

Traction Wheel.

Patented Sept. 22, v1870.

c z .w c .aff a TrioMAss. MINNIss, or naAnvLLE; PENNSYLVANIA.

V Letters Patent No. 107,702, ldated September 27, 1870 antedated September 17, 1870.

VINIPRovEwnsiv-r IN i-'nicrloN-Locomorivss. I

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the4 same.

I, 'THOMAS S. MrNNrss, of Meadville, in the countyl I of Orawford and State of'P'ennsylvania, have invented i a'Frictiou-Locomotive for traveling on the ground, plowing, towing boats, &c. A caveat, embodying some features of .the same,` was filed sometime in the summer of 1,868.

My invention consists inmaking a locomotive with twoor more driving-wheels on each side, with double beveled rims, having `V-faced pulleys 'fitted between them on the engine or propelling-shaft, which must be on a liuerwith, and central to the axles.' By having twoor more rims on each driving-wheel, of ditiei' .entdiameters and corresponding pulleys to'it them on the shaft, diiereut speeds [can be given withthe same motion of theengine, as the pulleys are all split in two at the middle of each V,'and are madeto open and close, and thus relieve or grasp any of the rims desired;l i i Around and over the wheels,.on each side, I stretch astrong belt made withthin` blocks of wood or iron strung on wire cordsor their equivalents, on the edge of the blocks. I cut a V across their middle, so that,\

lwhen inline, they form a track fitting the beveled rims` ofthe drivingavheels, and thus make, when tightly stretched, a broad upbearing surface on'the The machine isguided Vby the action 'of a brake on each side, that presses equallymagaiust the rimsvof both driving-wheels, andf'not only checks them, but forcesthem away from the friction surface ofthe centraldriving V-pulley, while the `other side, being in gear, will .gain just according tothe check that is given 4 by the brake; which is'relaxed the instant the desired direction is attained.v

.lhe adjustable friction-pulleys onthe propellingshaft `have a fourfold action and value iu the combination; first, as a clutch, available at any point; second, changing the speed gear; third, tightening the belts, so as'to make just the required friction for propulsiomand yet not increase the friction onaxles or shaft an iota; an`d'fourth,`making a stiff upbeariug track ,of the belt,.as will more fully appear in thefol# lowing specification.

Figure 1 is asectiou of' the belt, showing how the two ends of the wire cord are united.

Figure 2'isahorizontal transverse view of one end `of the ,engine-shaft, with its adjustable Vs. Figure 3 is the stem and screw belonging to fig. 2. Figure 4 is another plan of figs. 2 and 3. i

. Figure 5 is ahorizontal transverse section of' oneV entire side of a machine, embodying my invention. i Figure Gis aside elevation of iig. 5.

v 'Theffsame Vlettersrefer to like,p itit-s in all theligures. y

` A Aj-Aare blocks, with holesluear each end, through which the wire cord -B B passes, and, when united, as secu at lig. 1, au endless belt is formed. The thinner the blocks themore tlexiblethe belt, andthe less motion of each block on its fellows yas it curves from a straight lille back and forth. the sides of the blocks must be slightlyreunded, and

should extend the whole length of the block, so as to leave no open-crack across'the belt for dirt to work through.

For a ten-horse-power `,engine I. would make the wheels G C about four feet diameter, and' thebelt `A B about fifteen inches wide, (thelength of each block.) When the the belt is made of wood the blocks should be about one inch thick, and two inches deep, from the bottom of the V t0 the ground; but, when of iron, the blocksl need not -be solid, but willl `be'made thin, and ribbed, to give the required strength. Each block' turnsupabont one inch at "both ends, with a Vslant. about three inches long, so that', in turning, the belt will not dig into tbe ground. ,w y. Y

The two ends of the wire-cord are maderto pass each other in one block, and, when the whole is strung tight, the ends are bent upward, and tightly wrapped with wire. Where rims of different diameters are made on C O, their .beveled surfaces must be made with t suiicient space between,v(see s s, iig. 5,) so that E can haveifreedomof movement on the shaft K.

The half' Vs or bevel-edged rings E I and I, are keyed tothe shaft K, so as to allow the corresponding rims of the wheels O O to playbetweeuthem, and not touch;

but the central beveledged ring E-moves on a piu, F,

through aslot in thel shaft K, and reaches far enough to catch into the recess G, (see iig. 3,) which works in the' hollow end of the shaft with a screw, O, (see iig..

5.)- vWhere the half Vs, H and I, are fixed to the shaft, it is necessaryv that the wheels C 'O .should have a slight freedom of movement on their axles L L, (see iig. 5,) so that they can adjust themselves to the shifting centersof the driving Vs, when drawn up tight; but, if H, E, and I are made to work ou` pins F F F, which reach through the pulleys and the'slots, and into the nuts PP P, which are moved inside the'hollow shaft by right and left-handed screws ou. the same stem, (see 1ig.f4,`) then the wheels() C need no play,

'as' the two. parts H` land 'E mutually approach each other, while E and retreat from each other, and 'vice 'verstaA .It is inteudedthat,'when the axles IiL liust press the shoulders of the beam M, and E is just half way between H and I,- the engine will play without moving the wheels; but turn the screw O, and draw E and I toward each other, the -driving-wheels,on each side are grasped by their beveled rims, and wedged aparttill the required tension of belt is attained, to make the necessary friction to move the machine. 1

When greater speed is requiredwith lthe vsame motiouf of the engine, just reverse the screw, and force E and H toward each other, and theend is attained.

The point of contact at All the pressure being from the centeroutward, thev propelling power is just doubled, and, as the belttightener, t'. e., the screw O, revolves` with the shaft, all friction is avoided, except for propulsion, by the tension of the belts.

The brake D is made to fit over the outer end of the engine-shaft, on each side, with a cam-shaped head touching the rim J on each wheel, and, when pressed with the long handle, the wheels C C are forced apart, the rim J, on one side, being a fulcrn'm, from which to force the other, and if the wheels are pressed back but the hundredth part of an inch, they are relieved from their driving-pulley, and, at the same time, checked by the action of the brake.

Y( Then it is desired toturn the moving locomotive to the right, the right-hand brake lis applied, and, if severe enough to make a full stop, the other side will perform a circuit round it-t-ill the brake is relaxed, and and thus a guide-wheel is dispensed with.

The axles L L are kept on a line with the shaft K by the beam M, but they are free to move hack and forth on the tenons N N.

By the use of the foregoing described combination, the machine need not be made rigid, but can twist and adapt itself to the surface like a common wagon, the only ei'ect being to stiien the belt.

The Aplatform to hold the boiler and engines can be suspended below the axles, or the axles can be bent down under the platform, with springs at each corner, to give freedom for the running-gear to twist.

'lhere is; a driving-pulley, R, on the crank-shaft, for use when thc engine is required for stationary work.

The width'ot` the machine should be about equal to its length; the wider it is the more readily it turns. 1f it is desired to have smaller wheels, and yet more length ot' belt 0n the ground, any number of wheels may be added to a side by interposinga V-pulley between eaeh two, on a line with their axles; but none of the friction-pulleys need to beadjustable but those on the propelling-shaft, and the added'wheels will not 'belts by starting the shaft, an

A'which is propelled,

require the brake-rims J, nor the additional beveled rims for varying the speed; and, if the engine-shaft is placed above the propelling-shaft, and geared thereto, wheels may be used as small as twelve inches in diameter for any length of belt, but not where the en.- gine and vpropelling-shaft are one and the same, as then the crank would come too near-the ground; and,

in .this ease, I would make the middle wheels slightly larger in diameter, and yet, by keeping all their axles on a line, the heaviest pressure would be at the iniddle, acting as a pivot on which the ends would swing more freely.

As the engiueswhich drive the locomotive must have a reverse motion, I will tighten and relax the d holding the' screw O either' hy a. long-handled wrench, or bya friction grasp on the stem, which will slip when screwed tight enough. I claim as my inveution- 1. The entire combination of shaft, adjustable pulleys, wheels, belts,

and brakes, making a locomotive, turned, directed, checked, and lightly upborne, without the use of a guide-wheel, substantially as described.

2. yThe belt, with its -Vshaped tiack, constructed in theanannerand for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

The wheels C C, with rims of various diameters, constructed as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination :of the hollow shaft K, adjustable Vs, H, E, and I, pins F F F, nuts P P 1),' and screw 0, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The cam-headed lever-brakeD, constructed .and operated substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of the shaft K, beam M, and axles L L, substantially as andfoi' the purpose set forth.

THOS. S. MINNISS.

Witnesses:

B. G. Dii'vln, D. l. COMPTON. 

